Device for treating water and method



a Feb. '20, 1962 Filed July 26, 1957 INVENTORS ERNEST E. SELBY RUFI JS R. KNAPP @mwx ATTORNEYS United States Patent This invention relates to a means and method'for treat ing water, particularly for providing water in wells with a polyphosphate solution to prevent rusting of the plpes,

Filed etc. in the system and to prevent the formation of iron I oxide in the water.

In c'ertain'localities the iron in the water is so great that the water drawn through the pipes is almost opaque and is unusable for any purpose. Heretofore a blend'of polyphosphates has been introduced into the water to clarify it, but the systems employed for this purpose are prohibitive for families that have their own wells, and is principally restricted to industrial concerns and municipalities.

One of the objects of the present invention is the provision of a method treating water that enables those persons that rely upon their own wells for water to treat the water in an economical manner and to prevent the untreated water from corroding the metal contacted thereby in a water system.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a only when the motor 4 and pump} are actuated. When device that is economical to make and that is. easy to.

an arrangement and combination that will prevent the water soluble solid used for making the treating solution from dissolving except when there is a withdrawal of water-from the well.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the descrip-' tion and in the-drawings.

In the drawings, FIG. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic view of atypical household or farm water system in which the source of water is a well, usually on the premises, that supplies the house or farm withitswater. P FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of-the device that-- is used in the system, with the latter reduced to essentials.

In detail, a'conventionalwell is generally designated 1, with the average water level of the water therein beingindicated at 2. V

A conventional pump 3 actuated by a motor 4, is in a conduit that includes pipe 5 .extending downwardly from the pump to the lower portion of the well, or-to a point substantially below the water level 2, and the lower end of this pipe 5 is usually provided with a foot valve 6 at its lower end, which valve is a check valve admitting water into the pipe 5 for withdrawal from the well when the pump is actuated, but preventing reverse flow of the water.

Valve 7 in the discharge conduit at the discharge side of the pump is a pressure valve that keeps a predetermined pressure on the pump and foot valve. This may be adjusted and in a jet pump controls the pressure in the jettube to lift water out of the well at a predetermined pressure, say, for example, lbs. persquare inch.

pressure of 60 lbs, the motor 3,022,247 Patented Feb. 20, 1962 c 2 Discharge conduit 8, in the particular system illustrated, extends into a pressure tank 9 into the lower portion of which it opens, a check valve 10 being provided to prevent water in the conduit from being effected by the water pressure in the tank. V 1

Pipe 11 leads from the 'lower end of the tank, usually below the point where pipe 8 opens'into the tank, to the faucets from which the water is drawn for use'one being indicated at 12. p I I Upon water being pumped into the tank 9 and the'air in the upper portion of the tank being compressed to the point where, for example, the water in the tank is under 4 and pump 3 will automatically stop.

An automatic pressure switch 13 responsiveto pressure within the tank is connected in a circuit with the motor. to break the motor circuit when the tank pressure .is say 60 lbs., and to automatically close the circuit to start the motor and pump when the tank pressure is say 40 lbs. A gauge associated with the pressure switch indicates the tank pressure.

Disposed between the check valve 10 and the valve 7 is a fitting that connects a pipe 13 with the conduit 8, which fitting includes a pressure'valve 14 adapated to automatically open under a pressure of say 40 lbs., so that water will fiow past the valve and through pipe 13 the pump is not being actuated, the valve 14is closed, and since said pump is actuated only when the tank pressure 1n tank 9 is'being built up to say 60 lbs., in the example, water will be pumped through pipe 13 during the actuation of the pump, but only during such actuation.

The pipe 13 opens. into the lower portion of a recep-" tacle 15'ata point adjacent .to but spaced above the bottom 16 of such receptacle (FIG. 2), and a manual control valve 17 is in pipe 13' to regulate the rate of flow in said pipe.

The receptacle 15 preferably has cylindrical, upwardly extending sides, and a perforated grid or plate 18 is supported within the receptacle at a level spaced above the bottom and above the point where pipe .13 opens into the receptacle. This support may have several legs 19 I supporting it on bottom wall 16 at its level within the receptacle or any'other suitable means may be employed.

. The 'waterisolublesolid,such as a blendof polyphosphates, for example, is supported on this support 18, and preferably such solid material, indicated at 20, is pro vided in ball form, which balls are adapted to be support ed one on the other within the receptacle by the walls of the latter. f Thus the receptacle may carry a substantial fed into receptacles through this pipe.

A first drain pipe 21 opens into receptacle 15 at a point spaced a substantial'dista'nce above the level of the support 18, and which level, preferably, is at about equal to the diameter of one of the balls 20jbefore the latter is used.

The drain pipe 21 leads downwardly into the well 1 to a point adjacent to the lower end of pipe 5, and preferably below said lower end.

A second drain pipe 22 leads downwardly into well 1 to a pointabove or approximately at the average water .i a cover 23 hingedly connected to the receptacle.

latter is not air tight, hence the liquid therein will freely drain therefrom.

The valve 17 is regulated so that the water in the receptacle 15 will normally remain at approximately the level at which the drain pipe 21 enters the receptacle, hence, in operation, upon withdrawal of water from the well by pump 3, the valve 14 will open to permit a portion of said water to enter the receptacle 15 to the level of the upper drain opening, and thus the lower ball 20 at least, will be covered by the water and will start to dissolve to form a solution of said solid in the receptacle. This solution will start draining into the well water, being introduced into said water at the top of the well as well as at the bottom so that the water in the well and around the length of pipe in the latter will be water that has been treated. I

As soon as the pump stops, the solution in the receptacle 15 will drain away from the material 20 so as to stop the dissolution of the latter, and when the level of the solution reaches that of the opening into the second drain pipe 22, a body '25 of the solution will still remain in the receptacle above the point where the feed pipe 13 opens into the receptacle. Thus, when the pump again forces water through the feed pipe 13 into the receptacle, the solution 25 will be stirred up and will start flowing into the drain pipes as soon as the level of the solution rises to the openings in said drain pipes. Normally when the pump fot'ces water through the feed pipe 13 the level in the receptacle is actually slightly higher than the point where the pipe 21 opens into the receptacle to insure a substantially equal flow of the solution into the well through both drain pipes.

Once the pumping system has been operated, it will be seen that all of the system including the water in the well will be water that has been treated.

Thefact that the waterin receptacle 15 drains away from theballs 20 when the pump is inoperative makes the system economical, and in average household use, several or the balls willlast for several weeks. Hence by merely making the tubular receptacle '15 longer, a supply of a year or more could be maintained before the solidwas exhausted. Otherwise, if'the water did not automatically drain away from the balls, the supply would be exhausted in a very short time and the system would not be practical. I

It is not the intent that the invention should necessarily be restricted to the precise system illustrated in FIG. 1. The main features are the automatic maintenance of the treated water in the system including the source :(well or the like.) and the automatic draining of the water from the solids except when there is a withdrawal of wat'er from the well. For example, the system shown in FIG. 2 is reduced to bare essentials of an automatic pump and check valve between the device and faucets one being indicated at 26.

'1. The method of treating the entire body" of water within a well with a water soluble solid treating agent in solution that comprises substantially simultaneously performing the steps of; withdrawing a column of Water of said body upwardly out ofthe latter from a point within the lower portion or said body and mev'iag it to a point of dis harge remote from said well for use at said paint of discharge, di erting a relatively small portion of the water so withdrawn during said withdrawal and passing it across and in contact with said water soluble solid at a location spaced above said body to form a solution or said treating agents at said location, substantially continuously during said withdrawal discharging the solution that is formed 'at said location into said body of water at two spaced points respectively positioned below said point of withdrawal or said column and adjacent to the upper level of said body; then stopping the withdrawal of said column and thereafter draining said solution "cornplete'ly .away'from said solid and discharging it into said body of water and at the same time maintaining said column having said solution mixed therewith between said point of withdrawal thereof from said body and said point of discharge thereof against discharge and return into said body for mixing with the latter whereby only water having said solution mixed therewith will be subsequently discharged at said point of discharge.

2. In a water system that includes a body of water within a well, a pressure water delivery conduit extending upwardly from the lower portion of said body out of said body to a point of discharge and having a discharge valve at said point of discharge actuatable for opening and closing said conduit to flow of water therethrough to said point of discharge; an inletin the lower end of said conduit within the lower portion of said body and a foot valve in saidconduit adjacent to said check valve for preventing return of water from said conduit into said body through said inlet, pressure means connected with said conduit for providing water under pressure within said conduit between said foot valve and said discharge valve, a receptacle for holding a water soluble solid water treating agent, said receptacle having a bottom wall and lateral side walls, a support within said receptacle spaced a substantial distance above said bottom wall for supporting said water soluble solid, and a water soluble solid water treating agent supported on said support, a feed pipe connecting with said conduit at one end thereof and opening into said receptacle at a point closely adjacent to said bottom wall for supplying water to said receptacle, a check valve in said feed pipe for preventing liquid in said receptacle from passing back into said feed pipe, a control valve in said feed pipe for controlling the flow of water therethrough into said receptacle, a first drain pipe opening at one end thereof into said receptacle at a point spaced a substantial distance above said support extending downwardly therefrom into said body and opening at its opposite end within said body at a point spaced below the level of said inlet, whereby water entering said receptacle from said feed .pipe will pass over said solid to form a solution of said treating agent in said receptacle that will flow by gravity through said first drain opening to said point below said inlet upon the water in said receptacle rising to said one end of said first drain pipe, a'second drain pipe opening at one end into said receptacle at a point spaced above the opening of said feed pipe into said receptacle and below 'said support and extending downwardly from said receptacle into saidwell to a point "spaced a substantial distance above said foot valve and,

adjacent to the upper level of the water of said body whereby the solution formed in said receptacle upon the water entering the latter and rising a level above said support and contacting said solid will be completely drained from said solid into said well upon the flow 'of waterinto saidreceptacle through said feed pipe casing, and also whereby a supply of said solution will remain in said receptacle below said support and between the level 1 of said one end of said second drain pipe and the opening of said feed pipe into said receptacle for flowing into said second drain pipe up'o'n 'water again entering said receptacle from said feed pipe.

3. device for use in forming a- Water treating solution tram a water soluble solid and for dispensing such solution int the body of water in a well for treating said waten-e'ompri'sing a receptacle" having a bottom wall, side walls, and a support therein spaced a substantial dismm above said bottom wall "for holding a supply of a water soluble solid water-treating agent thereon, a feed pipe opening at one end thereof into said receptacle at a point closely adjacent to said bottom wall for admitting water into said receptacle and a check valve for vpreventing flow of water back into said fed pipe upon stopping the flow of water therethrough into said receptacle, an

upper drain outlet opening into said receptacle at apoint spaced a substantial distance above said support and a lower drain outlet opening into said receptacle at a point spaced a substantial distance above said one end of said feed pipe and below and adjacent to said support, thereby providing a structure in which water adapted to enter said receptacle from said feed pipe and rising to the level of said upper outlet will contact the water soluble solid water-treating agent adapted to be supported on said support for forming a solution of said agent that will simultaneously drain out of said upper outlet and said lower outlet, and whereby such solution will drain from said solid through said lower drain outlet upon cessation of water entering said receptacle from said feed pipe and also whereby a supply of such solution will remain in said receptacle below said support for subsequent discharge through said lower drain opening upon 6 water again being admitted into said receptacle from said feed pipe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 743,006 Loucks Nov. 3, 1903 1,165,608 Kuth Dec. 28, 1915 1,191,628 Trinks July 18, 1916 2,083,076 Mau June 8, 1937 2,304,626 Chesson Dec. 8, 1942 2,503,878 Linn Apr. 11, 1950 2,623,014 Kloth Dec. 23, 1952 2,649,203 Hannibal Aug. 18, 1953 2,891,622 Patterson et al June 23, 1959 

